Revelation 17-18 Babylon is Judged

SLIDE 1**When the VeriChip Corporation became a publicly traded company in early 2007-2007, it disclosed that 222- 300 individuals are employees of the VeriChip Corporation in the United States (or patients participating in experimental trials of the device). had been implanted with its product. The VeriChip Corporation has publicly stated that "several thousand" people throughout the world have been implanted with its product. However, the company has not released details on overseas implantation and has provided no independent verification of these figures.

SLIDE 2 Share some background that I thought might interest you.

Babylon began with Nimrod (son of Cush, son of Ham, son of Noah) when he rebelled against God and tried to construct a tower to heavens to be like a god. Doesn’t this sound like Lucifer? The Lord turned their language to babbling and we know the story as the “Tower of Babel.” You can read about Babylon and her kings in 2 Kings, Chronicles 1 and 2, and most all of the prophets. (Remember the wicked city of Nineveh that Jonah was sent to warn of God’s judgment. We can thank Nimrod for that city among other in Assyria.)

SLIDE 3

·        What is Babylon?

·        Babylon the Religion System

·        Babylon the government and merchants

The Lamb will overcome them

The name Babylon is associated with idolatrous religion under Satan’s control. As a religious system, Babylon came into being long before Christianity. The woman represents the idolatrous religion system and the beast represents government and commerce. Both are opposed to Christ, his children, and his kingdom.  Satan uses blasphemy and persecution of God’s people as a means to deceive mankind.
 But the Lamb will overcome them

SLIDE 4**As a daughter of a King we must keep ourselves pure from the pollution of Babylon in our generation. The violence and debauchery in today’s television, movies, magazines, video games, and internet is glamorized. It invades our lives like a virus. Do you know what your  children and grandchildren are watching and hearing?  Small children as well as their parents are seen in restaurants, ballgames, social gatherings addicted to their phones, tablets, and computers. Most eating establishment boast of having WIFI. Several years ago I did not even know what that was. The language, pictures, and situations come over those invisible airways would cause us to cover our ears and eyes, yet they are cheered and applauded by our society. I will admit that I carry my iPad everywhere. I use it to read books and do bible study..I even have the CBS Servant Team manual downloaded. As I work on my teaching, PPT, and search for photos, I use safe search on Google. But I have yet to eliminate all inappropriate images. I shudder to think what filth would cross my screen if I did not use a safe search.

Last week in chapter 16:17 the seventh bowl of God’s wrath was poured out on the city of Babylon.

SLIDE 5 Babylon the Religion System

John is invited by the angel of the 7^th bowl to witness the judgment on Babylon. John is taken in the spirit into the wilderness to observe the harlot riding on the beast. John uses symbols to describe what he sees. As he observes this garish woman John uses the symbol of a harlot for the false religious system of Babylon. The words used to describe the woman and written on the beast are vile, despicable, and depraved.

SLIDE 6 I think the LORD wants us to know how reprehensible and detestable these things are to God so we will be prepared and warned against the temptation of Satan and his promises of pleasure. The slide from artist Pat Malvenko Smith shows a brash and gaudy woman who personifies all that is immoral and wicked in the world. Adorned with gold and jewels and pearls she symbolizes opulence and greed. Holding a golden chalice, verse 6 … I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

SLIDE 7 Warren Wiersbe in Be Victorious compares the false religious system as a harlot who abandoned the truth and prostituted herself for personal gain to the true church symbolized is a pure virgin robed in the purest white while the harlot is arrayed in the purple of royalty and power and the scarlet associated with sin and Satan.

 SLIDE 8  Likewise the beast symbolizing the world system seeking to control the earth dwellers minds and destinies is contrasted to the City of God New Jerusalem, the eternal home prepared for the Bride of Christ. P.151 

The beast in verse 8 is the same we saw in chapter 13 who was, and is not, and is about to rise  from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.

SLIDE 9 Lucifer has always wanted to have a throne above God. Now he tries to counterfeit the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But we know the Lamb will overcome all of them.

Rev. 1:8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

 Verse 9This calls for a mind with wisdom: Ladies I am depending on the Lord God and His Holy Spirit to interpret my study and fill my mind with the truth.

SLIDE 10 This is one of the most difficult passages for teachers to agree on. This is one opinion. I hope I can shed some light it for you.

From Enduring Word Ministry: David Guzik explains: v. 10-11

·        Five have fallen refers to the five world empires before John’s day: Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia,  Medo-Persia, and Greece or the once listed in Daniel

·        The One-is refers to the world empire of John’s day: Rome

·        The other has not yet come-refers to the one world empire  

The beast is the eighth empire, is also part of the world empire

SLIDE 11 The horns correspond to the 10 horns in Daniel 7,8.  ¹² And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.¹³ These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

SLIDE 12 ¹⁴ They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

They will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them

¹⁵And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the woman has dominion over all kings, dictators, and nations have been forced to bow down throughout history, is the Babylon.

SLIDE 13 The red beast that the woman rides upon gives the appearance that she is in control of the beast, but actually the woman receives her authority from the beast. The beast is using her as a means to gains power and she will be cast away when she is no longer needed. The prostitute (religious Babylon) is destroyed by "beast and the kings of the earth," who "hate the prostitute" and kill her.

 ¹⁷ For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose and to give their kingdom to the beast until God's words are accomplished. HCSB

SLIDE 14 God is not sitting idly on the sidelines watching all this action. He is the sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent Creator of the World. He gives dreams to pagan Kings, He hardens hearts and uses men for His purpose. God gives Satan some power but he is limited in what he can do. We know who is in control of our future so why should we fear.

Proverbs 21 :1The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases.

http://www.discoverrevelation.com/Rev_17.html

SLIDE 15 **Today, which city in the world is most readily identified with the world system? Hollywood? Wall Street? Washington? Rome? In our nation, idolatry is just as strong. It does not have to be a city, a president, or a papal figure. We each have things that rule our lives. Some may be driven for success through a job that takes all you time away from your family. Many young parents will allow the sports and activities of their children to set the schedule for their life. Even if the games are on Sunday. Where will you be when the Lord comes to claim His own. I pray we are doing something to glorify His name and enlarge His Kingdom. Are you prepared for the return of the Lamb?

SLIDE 16 Rev.18 Babylon the government and commerce systems

The destruction of the religious Babylon takes place about the middle of the seven years after the Antichrist declares himself to be God and no longer needs the woman representing the One World Religion. Satan is right where he has longed to be since creation of the world: to be worshipped as God. Satan will use the beast to gain favor and power of the 10 Kings. But he has two personas. As soon as he has achieved his goal, he will cast aside those he has used.

The son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is god. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

He will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome him.

SLIDE 17 In chapter 18 we will read about the destruction of the commercial, political Babylon when takes place at the end of the Tribulation. The symbolism is that she is a city but it much more that one city she is a world system. Imagine the fine goods and extravagant cargo needed to supply the luxurious and affluent lifestyle of the rich and powerful kings. (photo of Tarshish to Solomon)

 For all adulterous based commerce and secular government was begun here at the end the tribulation, God will destroy them all with the seven and last vile judgment in the fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah 47: I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.

SLIDE 18 another angel comes down from heaven, and the earth was made bright with his glory² And he called out with a mighty voice,"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, unclean bird, unclean and detestable beast.

SLIDE  19 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

"Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues  ;⁵for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her

 iniquities ⁶     Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds;

By now it is hard to believe any Christians survived the reign of the beast. Perhaps some saints bent on saving others have been hidden away. It could also mean that Christ is using this scripture to warn us as he did Lots family.

SLIDE  20 she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her."

Who will weep and mourn for her?

•     Kings who have coupled with her

•     Merchants who gained wealth from her luxurious lifestyle

•     Shipmasters-no one to buy their goods

•     Seafaring men, Sailors-Who will by their cargo?

•     As you look at verse 11 there is a list of her imported goods

Who will celebrate the Lord’s judgment. Those saints under the alter that have echoed through the ages,”When O Lord. “20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.”

SLIDE  21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, The kingdom of the under antichrist will be utterly destroyed.

**For years I have been told of a sermon deliver over 1200 times by a pastor from SC.

Robert Green Lee  1886-1974 He was born in South Carolina and educated at Furman University in Greenville, SC.  http://www.newsforchristians.com/classics.html

 “Pay Day Someday remains his most famous sermon. First preached as a Wednesday night devotional it still stands as what could only be called a classic. In all, Lee preached it 1,275 times in every venue from small churches to state legislatures to foreign countries. The closing words of that great sermon demonstrate the power of Lee's preaching:”

Slide 22 "Payday - Someday!" God said it - and it was done! Yes, and from this we learn the power and certainty of God in carrying out His retributive providence, the men know that His justice slumbereth not. Even though the mill of God grinds slowly, it grinds to powder. Yes, the judgments of God often have heels and travel slowly. But they always have iron hands and crush completely

Slide 23 Ladies would you choose to take your payday from Jesus Christ?

RG Lee "Payday Someday!"  ... And the only way I know for any man or woman on earth to escape the sinner's payday on earth and the sinner's hell beyond - making sure of the Christian's payday - is through Christ Jesus, who took the sinner's place on the cross. becoming for all sinners all that God must judge, that sinners through faith in Christ Jesus might become all that God cannot judge."